The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its promise to build world-class schools in Sydney's growing suburbs, with the fast-tracked Tallawong Public School opening today in its brand new, permanent home.
This is one of 230 new schools, public preschools and major upgrades currently being delivered across NSW by the Minns Labor Government through a record $9 billion commitment to rebuild public education, including $3.9 billion for projects in western Sydney.
The new Tallawong Public School will accommodate 600 students, with 24 permanent classrooms, three support learning classrooms, a hall, library and canteen, sports court and play areas.
The opening of this permanent school will also enable the removal of 15 demountables at Riverstone Public School that were used as a temporary school which was fast tracked to address the demand for public education in the booming North West.
For 12 years, families in Western Sydney were neglected by the former Liberal National Government who approved new housing while failing to deliver the critical infrastructure including schools that families were promised in these communities.
That includes the new Tallawong Public School. which was promised by the Liberals in 2019 but was not delivered.
The enrolment growth audit found that while the top 10 student growth areas were all located in Sydney's North-West and South-West, the former government had neglected the needs of these booming communities, cramming local students into ever-growing demountables.
The Minns Labor Government is addressing this through the delivery of a historic number of new and upgraded schools recently delivered or on the way across Sydney's North West, adding capacity for an additional 15,000 public school students in the region by 2028 which will see more than 160 demountables replaced with more than 700 permanent classrooms.
Major projects recently delivered or on the way in Sydney's north-west include:
- New high school in Tallawong
- New high school in Jordan Springs
- New public primary school and public preschool in Grantham Farm
- New Gables Public School and public preschool
- New Box Hill Public School and public preschool
- New Box Hill High School
- Schofields Public School - upgrade (delivered)
- Riverbank Public School - upgrade (delivered)
- The Ponds High School - upgrade
- Rouse Hill High School - upgrade
- Excelsior Public School - upgrade
These new and upgraded schools are in addition to school projects at Nirimba Fields and Melonba that were also fast-tracked to open early in temporary facilities as part of the 2023 election commitment, with Melonba Public School opening in its permanent facilities at the start of 2025.
The Government has also delivered the biggest pay rise in a generation to attract the best teachers and keep them in the classroom, resulting in teacher vacancies falling to the lowest level in 12 years, halving the number of merged and cancelled classes since being elected.
This is all part of the Minns Labor Government's plan to deliver better schools and more teachers to give our kids the world class education they deserve, right where they live.
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:
"Every child in this state deserves access to a world-class public school close to home which is exactly what we're delivering through new and upgraded schools, as well as more teachers in our classrooms.
"For too long, families in Sydney's north-west were promised schools that never came despite thousands of new homes being built. We are changing that.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
"The new permanent Tallawong Public School is not just bricks and mortar - it's a commitment to every family in this community that they will have access to high-quality education.
"We inherited an infrastructure backlog that left students crammed into demountables for years. We are hard at work to fix it, school by school, classroom by classroom, and communities like Tallawong are starting to see the results."
Member for Riverstone Warren Kirby said:
"Families in Tallawong have waited a long time for a permanent public school here in this growing suburb, and today that wait is over.
"The enrolment growth audit conducted by the Minns Labor Government identified population growth in Tallawong as being more than three times the projected growth and highlighted the need for new school infrastructure in our area.
"This is a proud moment for our community and proof that when we invest in public education, we invest in the future of every child."
Tallawong Public School Principal Julie Grennard said:
"As the foundation Principal of Tallawong Public School, it's been a privilege to be a part of our school's journey from the very start.
"I'm incredibly excited to reach this final milestone together as we transition into our new permanent home."
